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Southern Company and Partners Award Grants to Benefit Longleaf Pine Forest and Wildlife

Southern Company and Partners Award Grants to Benefit Longleaf Pine Forest and Wildlife

August 28, 2018

Fifteen grants supported by Southern Company will accelerate efforts to conserve longleaf pine habitat and recover populations of at-risk wildlife across the Southeast.

Southern Company, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and other public and private partners, have collectively awarded a record $6.5 million in grants to 28 projects across eight states. The Longleaf Stewardship Fund will support efforts to conserve more than 350,000 acres of longleaf pine habitat and help recover populations of at-risk wildlife.

Fifteen of the projects in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi are supported by Southern Company and include $2.65 million in combined funding to improve more than 283,000 acres of longleaf pine habitat, of which nearly 11,400 acres will be newly planted.

“Southern Company is committed to environmental stewardship and to helping restore the iconic longleaf pine ecosystem as we have over the past 15 years,” said Southern Company Executive Vice President of Operations Stan Connally. “We are pleased that this model program continues to expand public and private partnerships to accelerate the recovery of a once prolific landscape — home to dozens of species at risk.”

Since 2004, Southern Company has invested more than $7.9 million in projects that will establish more than 165,000 longleaf pine acres, improve more than 1.5 million additional acres of longleaf and benefit the native species that rely on those forests.

“The Longleaf Stewardship Fund exemplifies what can be achieved for conservation when the public and private sector work collaboratively on a landscape scale,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF.

The fund combines the financial and technical resources of its funding partners to accelerate the restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem, while implementing the Range-Wide Conservation Plan for Longleaf Pine as part of America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative.

A complete list of the 2018 grants made through the Longleaf Stewardship Fund is available here.

About Southern Company:

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is nationally recognized as a leading energy company, with 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million customers through its subsidiaries as of December 31, 2017.

The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric operating companies in four states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers in 11 states across America and a nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average.

Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. We are building the future of energy by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, advanced carbon capture technologies, natural gas, renewables, energy efficiency and storage technology. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc, and designated as one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes magazine. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.